Chapter Twelve #3
Evie rose from the cushioned stool and backed up to the fire. “I’m working on it.” She wouldn’t lie about her inner turmoil. The worries. Her constant fear. “You’re sure I can’t ever go back? Not even for a visit or to sneak some contraband back to this century?”
“I am sorry, lass. Ye must surrender yer timeline forever.” Morganna picked up the ruby ring and idly trailed her thumb around the edges of the faceted gem.
“Every love requires sacrifice, and sadly, the powerful love of fated mates demands the greatest sacrifices of all. But it is my hope ye will decide it was well worth it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon.”
A heaviness settled over Evie, over her mind, her soul. But mainly, it settled over her heart. It sank to the pit of her stomach and threatened to bring her to her knees. She was here to stay. “How will I ever survive the fourteenth century?”
“Is Drummond not worth it, lass?”
“He is more than worth it.” And she meant that without any reservations, but was she up to it? Did she have what it would take to pivot, adapt, and not only survive, but thrive here? “When will you and the others leave? When will I have to take the wheel and drive?”
“As soon as the gods and the Fae realize yer bond with Drummond is too strong to sever.” Morganna went to the door and cracked it open. “Ada, lass, what’s keeping ye? Yer mistress needs to dress, and canna do so without those oils and powders.”
“A moment, Mistress Martha!” Ada grunted and groaned as if shouldering a mountain and trying to push it aside.
“Stop tormenting her,” Evie whispered. “That’s not nice.”
“I needed to speak with ye about Jarrah, Jadrack, and Farbis,” Morganna retorted in a hissing whisper, “and a lady’s maid never leaves yer side whilst ye’re in yer chambers.
At least, she never leaves ye be until ye send her away, and since ye dinna ken what to do with her or where to send her to fetch ye things, I decided this would be easier. ”
The bedroom door swung open with a bang, revealing Drummond carrying a large wooden trunk on his shoulder and a crestfallen Ada following along behind him.
“My own, will ye never be ready to greet the day? We have guests to receive.” He swaggered into the room and set the chest on the floor beside the wardrobe. Then he gave Evie a slow, smoldering up-and-down look and grinned. “I should have come sooner and joined ye in yer bath.”
“And then we never would’ve been ready to greet the day or our guests.
” Flashing warm and a little breathless at that missed opportunity, she moved away from the fire and perched on the cushioned bench at the foot of the bed.
“I was just about to get dressed when Mistress Martha arrived. She and Ada will have me ready in no time.”
He folded his arms across his broad chest, that perfect plane of muscle where she’d collapsed when he’d taken her to ecstasy so many times she became as boneless as a puddle of goo.
He gave Ada a curt nod. “Our lady needs dressing. Not only do guests await, but the chief finds himself strong enough to welcome his new daughter into the clan. Hie yerself, now.”
Ada bobbed a quick curtsy. “Aye, m’lord. Forgive me for the delays.”
Evie rose from the bench, nervously chewing her lip. There was something she had to do, even if he did want her to hurry. “Ada and Mistress Martha, could the two of you step out for just a minute? I need a word with Lord Blackmorrow. Alone.”
Both women looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
“Please?” With the linen wrapped around her like a toga, she moved to stand in front of him.
“Do as yer mistress bids ye,” Drummond said. Dread echoed in his solemn tone.
Without another word, the maid and the Fae matchmaker hurried from the room.
Still chewing her lip, a habit she really needed to break, Evie eyed him for a long moment, willing her heart to do the talking so her cowardly logic would just shut up and stop causing trouble. “You are so patient,” she finally said.
Unfolding his arms, he slowly let them fall to his sides.
Leeriness shouted from the tense set of his shoulders.
“I am not patient, m’love. I am determined.
” He frowned, his dark brows knotting over his troubled eyes.
“Three from the Craig Durness ye spoke of await ye. The Dark One brought them.” He barely shook his head as his hands slowly closed into fists.
“She said she brought them to protect ye, but know this: I will never let them take ye from me. We are one now, ye and I, and none shall ever come between us.”
She reached out and touched him, pressing her hand flat against the center of his chest. The strong, steady thump of his heartbeat against her palm almost made her cry.
Or maybe it was the words he’d just said.
No one had ever spoken to her that way. No one had ever made her feel everything he’d made her feel.
He’d taught her heart and soul how to sing.
“I wanted to apologize,” she said. “I was…un-reason-able…ear-lier, and you don’t deserve that.
” She twitched an embarrassed shrug. “It’s because I’m a coward.
Not because I don’t find myself impossibly and improbably falling for you.
” Did that make sense? She shook her head.
“You’re not impossible or improbable. My being here is.
” Was she making it worse by babbling? “You know I’m scared to death of this century and even more afraid of never seeing mine again.
” She wet her lips and started chewing on them again, but stopped herself.
“But you’re here.” She patted her own chest. “You’re here.
In my heart. And I don’t see that changing.
Not ever.” But even she had trouble believing the depth of her feelings in such a short time.
How could they possibly be real? Could it be infatuation, or that heady rush of excitement at the beginning of a new relationship? Was she making a grave mistake?
He gently framed her face between his hands. “Am I enough for ye, m’love? Am I worth the sacrifice?”
“I think you are, but I’m so afraid that I’m not.
” She placed her hands on his, willing him to understand her confusion, her fears, but also to feel how much he meant to her.
“As I’m fumbling my way into your life, I’m afraid you’ll decide this silly little country girl from Tennessee isn’t worth the trouble. ”
“Ye are mine, lass. Forevermore.” He gave her a slow, tender kiss that made it difficult to stand.
Then he lifted his head and smiled. “Nothing will ever part us. No doubts. No fears.” He took her hand and placed it on his heart again.
“Not even death will part us, because I will always find ye and bring ye back to where ye belong.”
He gave her safety. Hope. Home. He gave her everything. How could she not give back to him in return? “I’m going to hold you to that.” She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest.
Tightening his embrace, he kissed the top of her head. “We are one, my own, and always will be.”
“Always,” she repeated.
Lightning exploded and made her jump. It was more within the room than without. Deafening thunder followed, making the very floor beneath their feet tremble.
Clutching him, she willed herself to fight rather than flee.
Granddaddy and Grandmama didn’t raise a coward, and she was done with that.
She backed up a step and looked up at him.
“Well, that was interesting, wasn’t it? I think I need to get dressed so we can join our visitors that Morganna brought to help us.
She said they’ll keep us safe until the gods and the fairies tire of toying with us and move on to torment someone else. ”
His jaw tightened, the muscles flexing. He had to be clenching his teeth. “Are they Fae? More Unseelie?”
“No. But they’re magical and share the same curse as Morganna because of who they love.” This was exactly what she had feared would drive him away. All of that had to be as scary to him as the fourteenth century was to her. “Sorry,” she whispered, wishing things were simpler for both of them.
The faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Dinna be sorry, m’love. Magic brought ye to me, and magic will help ye stay. For that, I am grateful.”
“You’re a rare man, Drummond MacMuirrow.”
“Nay, love. Not rare. Just determined to keep ye.”